Package or similar article



Aug. 28, 1962 e. s. DOLGORUKOV 3,

PACKAGE OR SIMILAR ARTICLE Filed Feb. 29, 1960 niteai 3,051,304 Patented Aug. 28,1962

3,651,304 PACKAGE R SBMILAR ARTICLE Gregory S. Doigorukov, Ferndale, Mich. (407 Fisher Bldg, Detroit, Mich.) Filed Feb. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 11,622 4 Claims. ((31. 206-4533) This invention relates to packaging, and more particularly to an improved package made of a material such as transparent plastic film for packaging articles such as certain drafting instruments.

The advent of easily scalable plastic films, such as polyethylene film, induced the use of transparent plastic packages for many articles formerly packaged in paper envelopes, as well as for those previously distributed in bulk and sold to the final user without individual packaging. It has been found, however, that thin flat articles, such, for instance, as drafting sweeps, small T-squares and the like, cannot be packaged in polyethylene envelopes in the conventional manner, that is, by sealing them therein, with a view that such article will remain sealed until sold, with examination thereof by the purchaser to be done through the transparent plastic film. A draftsman or purchaser of similar articles often wishes to examine such an article as to its precision and workmanship very carefully before purchasing and insists on examining it out of the package. On the other hand, after the package is opened, returning it to the shelf usually causes some difliculties because of the slippery surface of plastic film, the packaged articles slide out of the packages, falling on the floor, collecting dirt and dust and becoming scratched. Furthermore, opening sealed plastic envelopes, unless done carefully with a scissors, causes unsightly irregular tears in the envelopes affecting sellability of the packaged articles.

As a result, it has been proposed to use on polyethylene film envelopes a seal consisting of only a few spaced dots at the open end of the envelope, which seal could be separated easily. While such an expedient facilitates opening of plastic envelopes, tearing of the envelopes has not be completely eliminated thereby. In addition, slipping of the articles out of the envelopes also has not been eliminated. As a result, it is felt by many merchandisers of articles such as drafting templates, sweeps, T-squares and the like, that the use of paper envelopes with flaps which could be inserted into the envelope and thus permit removal of the article for examination and thereupon closing the envelope again, if necessary, is more advantageous. Such paper envelope can be repeatedly opened and closed.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved plastic film envelope or package for elongated articles, particularly such as drafting sweeps, T- squares, and the like, whereby the above difiiculties and disadvantages are overcome and largely eliminated without introducing new problems or increasing in an appreciable degree the costs involved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved package holding a curved article, such as a drafting sweep, a toy boomerang, a T-square, etc., which can be taken out from the envelope for examination and thereupon returned into the envelope through an opening smaller than the width of the package with the packaged article assuming such position within the package that shaking the envelope, turning it upside down and similar manipulations of the package do not cause falling out of the article from the package. 1

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved plastic film envelope for an article which is placed into the envelope by being threaded thereinto through a relatively small opening and with a certain amount of distorting of the envelope and which articles, after being fully inserted into the package or envelope, assumes, upon straightening, a position from which it cannot be removed without a slight bending and creasing of the envelope which could not occur by itself whereby falling of the packaged article out of the package is eliminated.

It is an added object of the present invention to provide an improved plastic film envelope or a package having the above advantages, which package is exceedingly simple in construction, dependable in operation and very inexpensive to manufacture.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying draw ings forming a part of this specification, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

FIG. 1 is an elevational view illustrating a transparent plastic envelope embodying the present invention and having a drafting sweep packaged therein.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in the direction of the arrows on the section plane passing through line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an elevational view similar in part to FIG. 1 and showing various positions of the sweep as the same is being inserted into the package and until it reaches the position where bending of the package becomes necessary.

FIG. 4 is a view similar in part to FIG. 3 but showing conclusion of the inserting operation requiring bending of the envelope.

FIG. 5 shows a modified construction of the plastic film envelope embodying the invention and adapted for packaging therein a small T-square.

fit is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseolog and terrninology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

While the present invention is herein illustrated and described in relation to items of drafting instruments, it shall be understood that the invention is applicable with equal success to packaging other articles, such as toys, tools, etc., having shapes such as explained below and which can be threaded through an opening smaller than their general Width and which, upon being fully housed in the envelope, assume such position as to bear on the restraining walls of the package, bringing of the packaged article to the opening for removal requiring distorting the envelope.

It will be understood, however, that the term distonting as used herein does not mean irreparable distortion or stretching of the package; but merely indicates folding or bending the package in a manner to bring the end of the packaged article to the opening. Such bend-- ing need not cause permanent creasing of the plastic film of the package.

In the drawings there is shown, by way of example, two packages or envelopes for drafting instruments, em-- bodying the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1-4,

the package illustrated the-rein comprises a piece of plastice sleeve, such as polyethylene, which may be eitherseamless along its length or be made by sealing the meeting ends of a piece of plastic film and, therefore,- having a longitudinal seam. In the present embodiment 16 extending only somewhat further than the center line of the sleeve, leaving a portion thereof indicated by the numeral 17 open. should not be less than the widest transverse dimension of the sweep to be packaged, such as designated by the numerals 18 or 19. It will be noted that such transverse dimension'may have to be measured at an angle as determined by the positions of the sweep S passing through the opening 17, as shown in FIG. 3. The width of the sleeve is determined by drawing a straight line tangent to the ends of the sweep, such as represented by the side 20 of the envelope, and thereupon drawing a line, such as represented by the side 21 of the envelope, parallel to said line 20. A hole such as 22 may be provided in the upper end of the sleeve for hanging the package on a hook or nail. It is desired that such hole be provided at a suflicient distance from the upper end of the sweep S in order to prevent interference of the hole with removal of the sweep S, as well as preventing the end of the sweep from hitting the nail or hook on which the package is suspended.

Insertion of the sweep into the envelope is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. The wide end of the sweep is inserted into the opening -17 and threaded therethrough, with the sweep moving through the positions 25, 26 and 27. Pushing the sweep into the envelope beyond the position 27 will cause the envelope to be bent as shown in FIG. 4. In such position, with the sweep being restrained at points 30 and 31 of the envelope, the' wide end of the sweep would protrude beyond the original position of the side 20 of the envelope for a distance designated by the numer-al 32. Bringing the side 20 to such position, causes bending of the envelope and forming thereon temporary folds above the wide end of the sweep, as shown at 33. Such condition of the envelope continues until the upper end 34 of the sweep passes the point 3%, whereupon straightening of the envelope causes said end 34 to move, as if by the action of a spring, into the position shown in FIG. 1. With the sweep in the position shown in FIG. 1, turning the envelope upside down, shaking or otherwise manipulating it bodily cannot cause the sweep to come out of the envelope and, therefore, the sweep remains securely packaged therein. Yet it can be removed from the package for inspection by a purchaser, or for use by the owner who retains the envelope tfOl continued use, by taking hold of its lower end in the envelope with the right hand and manipulating the upper ends of the envelope and of the sweep to bring the end 34 of the sweep against the opening 17 and pushing the sweep up until a suflicient portion of the end 34 comes out of the opening 17. Thereupon, taking hold of the end 34 with the right hand, the user simply moves or threads the sweep out. In the process of such movement the sweep will pass substantially through the same positions as are indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4, but in reverse order.

FIG. shows a package of the same general nature designed particularly for storing a T-square therein, and thus attaining the advantages mentioned above. The package of FIG. 5 is similar to that illustrated in FIGS. 14, the main difierence being in having its opening 37 provided on a slant in order to facilitate passage of the head 38 of the T-square. A sealed spot 39 is provided near the bottom 40 of the package under the opening 37 in order to cause the T-square to assume an inclined position when one side of its head contacts the spot 39. Determination of the width of the sleeve is made in substantially the same manner as described with respect to the sleeve of the package of FIGS. 1-4. The transverse dimension determining the size of the opening 37 is found by measuring the distance 41 taken substantially along the line representing the widest transverse dimension of the T-square in its position of leaving the en- 'velope. Having determined such distance 41, the same is laid ofi on the corner of the envelope and the material thereof is cut off on such line, as shown in FIG. 5. Depending on the relative dimensions of the head and the arm of the T-square, the angle at which said line is laid 0E and the corner cut 01f is selected for the most The width of the open portion 17 convenient removal of the T-square, as determined by trial, and it may vary from having the upper end of such line fall on the center line of the envelope, or come on any point between said center line and the vertex of the corner angle. In the latter case, the entire opening will be, in effect, in the side 42 rather than in the upper end of the envelope, and the upper seam 43 would extend throughout virtually the entire width of the envelope. The insertion and removal of the T-square from the package is illustrated in FIG. 5 and is substantially similar to that of the sweep housed in the package illustrated in FIGS. 1-4. It should be noted that with the T-square having assumed its final position in the envelope as shown in FIG. 5, hanging the envelope on a hook or nail passed through the hole 44 will cause the envelope to assume an inclined position, thus contributing to improved stability of the T-square in the envelope.

By virtue of the above disclosed construction, objects of the present invention listed above and numerous adidtional advantages are attained.

I claim:

1. A package comprising an elongated sleeve made of transparent plastic film, said package having in its fully completed form one of its ends closed and its opposite end closed through a portion of its width with the remaining portion being open, and with the corner of the package at said opening being cut ofi on a slant; a T-square, having a head and a blade with one end of said blade being secured to the head and the other end being free, said T-square being fully housed within said package and assuming an inclined position therein with the free end of the blade and one end of the head being in contact with the side of the package on the closed side of the partially closed end thereof, with the other end of the head being in close proximity to the opposite side of the package, and a sealed spot provided near the bottom of the package under the opening of the upper end thereof at such a location as to be contacted by one end of the head to tilt the T-square into an inclined position in the package and to bring the free end of the blade against the closed portion of said partially closed end.

2. A package comprising an elongated sleeve made of transparent plastic film, said package having in its fully completed form one of its ends closed and its opposite end closed only through a portion of its width to leave a restricted opening directly in the edge of said end, an elongated curved article having two ends and a bulging out middle, said article being fully housed within said package and having its said ends disposed adjacently the side of the package on the closed side of the partially closed end thereof and with the bulging out portion of the article being immediately adjacent the opposite side of the package, with the end of the article at the partially open end of the package being thus maintained in the position away from said opening and against the closed portion of the end of the package, with bringing of said end against said opening requiring manual distortion of the package, the size of said opening being only large enough to pass said article threaded therethrough for removal or insertion into the package with such manual distortion of the package, and a hole for hanging the package provided in one end of the package above the upper end of the article when the package is in vertical position.

3. A package comprising an elongated sleeve made of transparent plastic film, said package having in its fully completed form one of its ends closed and its opposite end closed only through a portion of its width to leave a restricted opening directly in its edge, an article fully enclosed within said package, said article having its overall width smaller than the width of said sleeve but greater than any of its transverse dimensions along its length passable through said opening, with the article being turned in the process of insertion into the package through said opening, with the first passed end of said article assuming in said package a position against the closed end thereof, and the last passed end assuming position also against the closed portion of the opposite end of the package and requiring manual distortion of the package to bring it against the open portion of said opposite end and for withdrawal from the package.

4. A package comprising an elongated sleeve made of transparent plastic film, said package having in its fully completed form one of its ends closed and its opposite end closed only through a portion of its width to leave a restricted opening directly in its edge, a curved drafting sweep fully housed Within said package and having one of its ends disposed immediately adjacent the side of the package on the side of the closed portion of the partially closed end thereof, said sweep being removable from said package by bringing its end adjacent the partially closed end of the package against said opening by temporarily distorting the package manually and taking it out therethrough by removing and turning, and with said sweep placeable within said package -by inserting it through said restrictive opening with turning of the sweep and temporarily distorting the package manually, and with the straightening of the package to its undistorted condition carrying the last passed end of the sweep from said opening to a position against the closed portion of the partially closed end of the package, manual distortion of the package being required for bringing said last end of the sweep against said opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,446,308 Smith Aug. 3, 1948 2,501,468 Klein Mar. 21, 1950 2,561,112 Hahn July 17, 1951 2,562,389 Piazze July 31, 1951 2,584,632 Southwick Feb. 5, 1952 

